What’s the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4?

Samsung galaxy S3 vs. Samsung Galaxy S4 – what’s the difference?

At first glance, there’s not a huge difference between the Samsung galaxy S3 (available to order here) and the S4 (available to order here), – their form factors are incredibly similar; the dimensions of the devices are pretty much the same and they have a similar look about them.

However, if you’re weighing up a purchase between the two, you’ll notice there’s a fair bit of difference in the price tags – £315 + VAT for the S3, £445 + VAT for the S4.

So what generates this difference in price? Is it worth paying the extra for the S4, or should you save a few quid and stick with the still impressive S3?

First of all, here’s a brief run through of the differences between the two. These are discussed in more detail throughout the rest of the article, so keep reading if you want to know more.

What’s new in the Samsung Galaxy S4?

Larger display, with a higher resolution

More built-in features

Better camera

More processing power

Newer version of MHL (TV out), which requires less cables to set up

Better battery life

Slimmer and lighter design

Better accessory range

Read the full differences below or sit back and watch the following video:

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Size

Overall the two handsets are pretty much the same size. The main difference is the thickness – the S4 is slightly thinner – but the width and height are pretty much the same. The S4 is also lighter, but marginally so.

Display

Samsung has increased the screen size of the S4 by 0.2” to 4.99”. It has also reduced the bezel, which is why it’s possible to have a larger screen but smaller dimensions.

While a larger screen gives you more viewing real estate, it also creates a bigger reach from one side of the screen to the other. This can make one-handed use tricky at times. A reduced bezel can also cause you to accidentally touch the screen more frequently, so bigger does not necessarily mean better.

As for screen resolution the S4 definitely comes out the winner. It has full HD (1920 x 1080) and a pixel density of 441 ppi. This really does produce a crisp picture. The S3 isn’t far behind though; it’s got a resolution of 1280 x 720, which is still very impressive when playing back videos. Both handsets user Super AMOLED technology so there’s not much difference to draw in that aspect.

Design

As mentioned previously the two newest members of the Galaxy S family don’t look all that different. Samsung tends to take a bit of a bashing for its use of plastic but, unperturbed, it has continued this trend with the S4. That being said, it has managed to make the S4 look a little classier than its predecessor. The back cover has a dotted pattern (which does, however, makes the handset look grippier than it actually is) plus the outer seam has been switched to metal.

Overall the S4 does have the sleeker look.

Power

Samsung has doubled the RAM in the S4 to 2GB and it’s also increased the handset’s processing power. There are two versions of the S4, but the one that we discuss here (and the more readily available) is that which has a quad-core processor. The other has an octa-core processor and is only available in certain markets.

For most, the change in processing power won’t make a huge difference – it’s mainly for activities such as gaming that you’ll need it. Even then, it’s only resource heavy games that’ll see the benefits – the likes of Angry Birds don’t need so much power.

Camera

First of all, there’s a big spec bump when it comes to the sensor – 13MP on the S4 compared to 8MP on the S3. There’s no denying that the S4 is one of the best camera phones out there and you won’t be disappointed by the quality that it produces.

Samsung has also added some impressive new software features to the camera on the S4. The majority of these will likely be rolled out to the S3 in an update at some point, but for the time being they’re exclusive to the S4. These include:

Drama Shot – take a burst of photos and combine them into a single frame

Sound & Shot – record a sound clip with your photo

Eraser shot – erase unwanted objects from the photo (this is great in theory but unfortunately the mode needs to be enabled before taking the photo, which defeats the purpose in most situations)

Dual camera shot – take a photo with the rear and front facing camera at the same time, which means that you can photograph yourself whilst capturing others and then stitch them both together.

Video recording has also been improved between the S3 and the S4, although perhaps not as much as you’d expect. One nice improvement is that the S4 has adopted the camera interface of the Samsung Galaxy Camera. This means that a still photo and video are captured using the same interface, so there’s no need to lose time switching between the two during the all-important moment.

In short, the improvements to the camera are one of the main reasons that you should consider the S4 over the S3.

MHL/Video Out

MHL is a great feature to have available on your handset – once you’ve had it, you’ll miss it if a future handset lacks it. Luckily both the S3 and the S4 have MHL, although there is a slight difference between the two specifications.

The S4 has MHL 2.0. This means that you do not require a microUSB cable to power the MHL adaptor, just the MHL adaptor itself and an HDMI cable. With the S3, you will need to power the MHL adaptor with a microUSB charger. The microUSB adaptor supplied with the handset is perfectly suitable for this so there’s no added cost in this sense, but there is the inconvenience of connecting an extra cable. That being said, it can still be useful to connect the power cable to the S4 MHL setup in order to preserve battery life.

The S4 MHL adaptor does have a higher refresh rate as well, which means you’ll see a better picture on the display that you connect the handset to. Of course if you would like to go completely wireless, both of these handsets both support miracast as well.

Battery

The S4 battery has a capacity that’s almost 25% larger than that of the S3. Once again this is an impressive design feat considering that Samsung has made the overall dimensions of the handset smaller.

The larger battery does have a larger screen to power, but the gains are disproportionate in favour of the battery life. Generally the S4 battery life has been well regarded by reviewers and even with fairly heavy usage, you should find yourself easily making it to the end of the day from one charge. You can find our S4 battery life review roundup here.

The battery life of the S3 is still fairly good, but doesn’t quite live up to that of the S4. Both handsets have a battery that is removable – something that is becoming more and more of a rarity among Android handsets – so there is the option to add a third party extended battery if you so choose.

TV Remote

Both Samsung and HTC have brought back IR blasters in their 2013 flagships so that they can be used as remote controls. The S4 functionality works pretty well out of the box and Samsung includes a supporting app called WatchOn, which provides an electronic programme guide and additional information for TV shows.

The S3 does not have TV remote functionality, although you could achieve something similar with a mega home automation setup, but this would require a fair bit of effort.

Unless you really want to be able to control your TV with your phone, it’s not a factor that should affect your buying decision.

Storage

Both of these handsets come with a microSD slot that’s expandable up to 64GB so in terms of removable memory – a feature that many top of the range handsets lack – they have you well covered.

The internal storage, however, has been a talking point surrounding the S4 somewhat. The user-accessible storage of the S4 is around 9.5GB of an advertised 16GB, which is the lowest seen to date in a ‘16GB’ Android handset. The S3 has slightly more user-accessible internal storage, although Samsung has vowed to address the S4’s situation after the handset was featured on BBC’s Watchdog show.

Software Features

With the Galaxy S4, Samsung has included plenty of new software features for the latest version of its custom Android skin, TouchWiz. Many of these will likely come to the S3 in a future update, however.

In the S3 Samsung introduced its first wave of eye tracking technology with SmartStay, which prevents the screen from powering off when you are looking at it. This technology has been progressed for the S4 and now includes SmartPause and SmartScroll. The former will pause a video when you glance away from the screen, while the latter will automatically scroll down the page that you are reading as you tilt the device.

We also posted in detail here about our some of our favourite TouchWiz features on the S4. Most of these are not yet available on the S3 (although some are featured on the Note 2) and include:

The ability to disable the lock screen on trusted WiFi networks

Quick Glance to show you important notifications when you reach for the phone

An entire grid of toggles available from the swipe down menu

AirView & AirGestures

Other features that have been introduced with the S4 include; Samsung Optical Reader, which will recognises printed text, scan it and then translate; Group Play, which enables you to connect several Galaxies wireless to boost the volume of music playback; and Samsung Adapt Display and Adapt Sound, which will automatically configure settings for the best picture and audio depending on which app you are using.

Finally, Samsung has also stepped up its S Voice (voice control) and S Translate to offer better voice commands and translations. S Voice Drive has also been added, which means that you can now use voice commands with compatible navigation apps.

Accessories

There’s a nice range of accessories available for both these handsets, although the S4 will pip the S3 once its full range is available.

Samsung announced wireless charging capability for the S3 alongside the handset, although the accessories required to facilitate this never came to fruition. The same has happened for the S4 – the handset cannot be charged wirelessly out of the box, you need additional accessories – but this time around Samsung will deliver on its promises. The official accessories are due to arrive within the next month or so and there are already other third-party solutions available.

Both handsets have plenty of protection available in the way of third party and official cases. There is a new style of cases available for the S4, the S View Flip Cover, which has a small window cut out on its front so that you can view the time and check for notifications without powering opening the cover.

Also new to the Samsung Galaxy S4 are the S Health accessories (purchased separately), which help you to keep track of your fitness alongside the Samsung S Health app. These include a heart rate monitor, body scales and sleep monitor.

Conclusion

If it’s within your budget, you should certainly go for the S4 over the S3. However, if you’re looking to keep the spend down a bit, you won’t be disappointed by what the S3 has to offer: it’s a solid handset and still one of the very best available in the current market.

Samsung has added many features to the S4, some of which may seem gimmicky or unnecessary. However, we all use our smartphones differently, so there may be one or two features from either handsets that clinch the deal for you – the larger or smaller screen size, the larger battery, the new features, or the lower price tag – it really depends what you want from the experience.

If you’re considering upgrading from the S3 to either the S4 or another handset, you may wish to read our S4 upgrade dilemma post and our comparison with the HTC One. If you have any questions that you’d like answered, or if you’re a Galaxy user with something to add, let us know in the comments.

And rather more trivially, the S4 continues Samsung’s return to flat glass screens from the curvature of last years models. Almost inconsequential, except it makes screen protectors a lot easier to install and practically invisible, where they always looked a bit ugly on the S3 because they couldn’t extend to a seam. And for the ultra-protective, the flat screen is a lot more friendly to tempered glass screen protectors.

Great article. My dilemma is that I waited for the s4 and love it but have managed to crack the screen within a month of buying it,something that I have never been able to do on any of my other phones. So do I A) stick with the s4, get it sorted and risk breaking the screen again, apparently this is something a lot of people are complaining about or B) get the s3? All advice appreciated.

What a shame about the screen! That’s a tough one. I guess the S3 is the cheaper option if you’re having to pay out for another phone and either way, it might be a good idea to get a sturdy case on your next handset to try to protect the screen a bit more.

Nice article, i’m in mozambique at the moment, i asked my friend in england to buy the S4 and send to me but the Dhl said its against the company’s policy to carry phone batteries. my quetions is, does S4 use the same battery as S3 and others?

Hi Danny, we can ship directly to Mozambique via DHL if you order on our website: http://www.clove.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-s4
We have a specialist account to deliver smartphones internationally.
You are correct that it is normally not allowed and would likely be very expensive and time consuming for your friend to find and complete the necessary forms to send a device to you by DHL
The S4 uses a different battery to the S3

Sounds very odd, but ‘Android System Info’ on the Market would also tell you what CPU is installed and how much time it’s spending at each processor speed. Given there are only two CPU variants, and they’re practically indistinguishable in regular use, it’s hard to believe you’ve had a slower CPU installed; do you mean the data speed is slower, which might be an antenna issue?

Hi… This article explains it all..this is exactly what I was looking for ……..Me being a student..would you recommend me s3 over s4… Or vice versa? I won’t b using my phone as any business professionals but simply play n use it like any other person…so for people like me…what would u suggest from these 2 options?

Hi Winnie seeing as you are a student, I’m going to assume that you are probably on a tight budget. If that is the case then I would definitely recommend the S3.
The S4 has some great new features but the S3 is still one of the best devices on the market and is available at a bargain price now

Hello Natasha, seeing as you are using a Galaxy S2 then I would probably say your choice could mostly be based on cost.
Both devices will feel familiar to you and offer a lot of software upgrades from the S2.
If your budget will reach the S4 then that would be my recommendation. However if you want to save some money then you will not be disappointed at all by the S3

What a useful comparison! Decided so I bought myself the S3 4G version. The 2GB RAM helped me decide. Was wondering if anyone could shed some light on how long I should charge the phone for the first time? There are lots and LOTS of different opinions. Some advice would be much appreciated.

Good choice Jey! I would recommend a full charge to 100% the first time you turn it on then let it drain to 0.
After thisa charge back up but try not to keep the phone on constant charge after it is at 100% or let it drop to 0 too often after this

I love my s3! My old phone died two weeks before the s4 came out and I couldn’t go two weeks without a phone. Either way, my hands are too small for a bigger screen. None of the upgrades are that significant for me to dole out the extra cash to get a new phone out of contract. By the time I get a new phone, the s6 our 7 will be out

Yeah thanks. I’m been using s3 for a year now and I was wondering should I update it to s4. After reading this I realized here is no reason for me to update it to s4. So I think i’ll wait one more year and see what kind of phones there is coming next year Thanks once more.

I am considering moving to an S3 or S4 but I am not sure which. My current phone is a HTC Sensations which has been ok on the whole. I had intended to get an S2 but when I was shown the HTC I felt it was the better phone, it has a couple of niggly problems which I want to ensure I dont get with my next phone. The main one is the phone ring volume, it is so dam quiet on the HTC, how do the S£ and S4 compare of phone ring volume?

Thanks for your comment. You should find that either the s3 or s4 provides ample ring volume. Not wanting to muddy the waters, but the HTC One has dual speakers on the front which give it very good volumes for audio playback and ringtones.

have had the S3 for about two weeks now, been pretty happy except with the reception in various areas. The antenna is lower in the back of the S3 and with the S4 its’ in the top, therefore not dropping calls like the S3 will. So, I will upgrade tonight to the 4 and hopefully be as happy with it.

I currently have an older MyTouch. I want to be able to take really good photos, and edit them of my nieces. This article makes it seem worth it go for the S4 because that is really where most of the differences are. Are the camera differences really that big of a deal that I will notice coming from a Mytouch?

Hello Jill, as far as I recall, the MyTouch uses a fairly basic 5 megapixel camera, so either S3 or S4 will be an upgrade in picture quality.
The extra megapixels will mean you are able to zoom into the images further when editing and also blow them up larger when printing without blurring.
The 13 megapixels on the S4 is more than most people would really need and I would actually recommend reducing the quality to save on storage space unless you are planning on really fine editing.
Unless you absolutely want the newest features, the 8 megapixels on the S3 would be enough of an upgrade for you to see significant improvement

Hey there!
I have always been set on saving up for the S4, but after reading this article I can see there is not too much of a dramatic difference between the S4 and S3. The price of the S3 suits my budget better, but the attraction of the S4’s camera suits my uses better. Does the S3 still produce high-quality outstanding pictures? I read the new features the S4 has to offer, but in terms of resolution and picture quality itself does the S3 satisfy a thirsty eye?

P.s I am currently working with an oldschool blackberry bold the camera is so pixelated and looks awful when uploading to the computer or facebook that I no longer like to “capture the moment.”

Hi Janine, the Galaxy S3 has a great camera. At the time it was launched last year, the 8MP camera it provides was one of the best on the market and still holds up well today.
It’s not quite as good as the cameras on the most recent flagship devices but still manages to be better than those found on most mid range devices.
I think if you decide on the S3 you will not be disappointed

Hello! I am due an upgrade I have a htc sensation atm and is looking at either the s3 or s4 but cannot decide between the two I use my phone quite a bit mainly internet texting and using the camera and sum games help!!

Hi Louise, if you have a Sensation now then either device is going to be an upgrade for you. Quite frankly both handsets are going to suit you so I would say it might be either down to price or maybe the camera quality.
If you’re getting an upgrade through your network then it’s likely you can save a bit each month on your tariff going for the S3. If that doesn’t matter to you then I would say get the S4 as you might enjoy having one of the best cameras!

Thx hun for it help I do use my phone slot fir taking pictures as my phone is always on me saves taking a camera everywhere on my network getting the s3 is cheaper than my current phone just less minutes but I have neva used my full quoter getting the s4 is the same price as my current phone with 250 more minutes than the s3 but still less than my current phone

Excellent article, very informative. I have had my S3 for approx one year now and very pleased with it. I am based in South China and I was about to go to Hong Kong today to buy the S4 but after reading your article and watching your video I think I will hold off for now.
Many thanks …

Hi Mark, Samsung seem to be on yearly updates now, so I would guess at about 9 months time, give or take a couple of months for a galaxy s5.
That said, the Note 3 is highly rumoured to be revealed early next month if such a device interests you

Hi Daniel, at this time, there is very little to pick between the two devices.
Samsung have supported the S3 to now and updated the software to a level comparable with the new Huawei P6.
Aside from the extra RAM on the Huawei P6 (which could be useful if you intend to play high end mobile games), there is actually very little difference in the raw specification.
Samsung’s TouchWiz interface contains a lot of features that you may find useful. If you have used a Samsung smartphone before it will be an easy transition.
My advice would generally be to go for the Galaxy S3 due to the massive user base, support and ease of which you may find help with any issues you might have.
If you have the ability to trial either device then take this, you may find you very much like the Huawei version of Android

I currently have S 2 and want to upgrade to the 4. Does the 4 also have Swype? Is the vibrate sound louder than with the 2. When I am in a meeting and have the phone on vibrate, I never hear it. Thank you.

Hello, great comparison to say the least. Hope more are going to be available for future releases. I am currently using the s3, extremely happy with it. I would like to ask if its possible to import the higher spec s4 that would actually work in south africa ? Since we will probably not see it here,and I just see its better to buy the best option first time around.

Got my S4 stolen so now debating between the S3 or get the S4 again. I only had the S4 for two weeks and loved it so much and feel weird to get a lower model but to get the S4 again is so expensive, what should I do?

Difficult to say Janice, the S3 is still a very good phone when put against the competition and it can be had for a bargain price right now.
I’d take a long look at the differences and the features you enjoyed on the S4 and decide if they’re worth the extra price to you.
If I was choosing as a simple upgrade from an old phone it would be S4 all the way but as you’ve already spent out once recently, it’s a decision only you can make.

Hi Tucnak, yes the S3 had wireless charging accessories, however they were never sold outside of a few limited regions.
We had the them listed on the Clove site for nearly a year and Samsung never officially brought them to the UK / Europe in all that time.
It’s mentioned as a difference above because the majority of people won’t be able to get easy access to the S3 cover/pad, whilst the S4 accessories are now readily available in most markets

Absolutely; I don’t know how well-publicised it is, but if you drop an MP3 into the Notifications or Ringtones directories of any Android phone, they’ll appear in the relevant lists of sounds in Settings -> Sounds.

Im looking to get a new phone, i am currently a student and was wondering which phone would be better out of the s4, s3 and htc one x. im looking for a phone which can have decent game play ie play games on it easily and in good quality. whats your opinion on the matter?

Hello Amar, what kind of games do you play? If you like the most modern, advanced games then I would recommend the S4 as it uses a newer quad core processor with better graphics support.
If you enjoy more simple casual games then any of the devices on the list will work.
I’m using a One X at the moment and it can play most of what I enjoy but stutters and struggles slightly with some of the more challenging first person shooters and true 3D style games such as N.O.V.A. and Castle Clash, which the S4 could handle with ease

Hi, so im on a budget and considered getting the S3 since it seems people love it and there arent many changes….However, im skeptical about for how long will ill be able to use the S3 after a couple of upgrades. Will every upgrade work for s3 as well as s4? If not then when no more updates are available for s3, will i still be able to use my apps, or what sort of challenges will i face with it? Sorry if it sounds confusing, but i am very confused :3 please help.

Hi Marie, it’s difficult to say exactly how long Samsung will support the S3 for, they keep their update schedule under wraps.
It is definitely getting an update to Android 4.3 along with a number of other devices.
The newest Android 4.4 KitKat will come to the Note 3 & Galaxy S4, no news on other devices yet.
As a piece of hardware, the S3 will certainly still last you a couple of years. It’s still an extremely good specification considering the recent drop in price. Samsung will obviously provide warranty service for their standard 2 years as well. Even without updates to newer Android versions the phone will still continue to work just as you have got used to it. All the updates generally do is bring new features.
If you really want the newest updates though, I would recommend the S4. With the S3 being well over a year old now, I would hazard a guess on Samsung’s previous performance that the 4.3 update will be the last major Android revision, to be followed only by incremental firmware and app updates